Of course, the materials may not behave
as perfect minimizers of energy. Kinetics has a central role in determining
the ways that domains can evolve. For example, the multiwell nature
of the energy dictates that even if the system is driven towards minimum
energy, it may only reach a local energy minimum. Defects, such as
trapped charge [1]}, dislocations [2]}, dopant
atoms [3]} and so forth, also play a role, affecting both
the energetics and kinetics [4]}. Nevertheless, substantial
progress in understanding domain patterns has been made by considering
energy minimization in perfect crystals. 
